ISSUES

• I support NCLB and will seek to delete the use of “special education” and/or “non-English speaking” tests scores from the AYP formula. NCLB has provided allowances for this but the state must provide specific percentages.
• I support moving ISTEP to spring (with a local school district fall exam to measure assessment/ability).
• I support fully state funded textbook and voluntary, full-day kindergarten if financially feasible.
• I would seek to initiate a statewide child healthcare/nutritional education focus (addressing childhood obesity).
• I support small classroom sizes, Prime Time, neighborhood schools and parental choice.
• I support that the state review and rewrite the Educational State Formula so it is user-friendly.

• I will carefully and completely review the current budget.
• I will seek out the local “assessment” review and the local inter-governmental summary as it relates to the status to District 7 and its services.
• I will seek to improve the time line for any future tax changes, developing a consistent more fluent time line of implementation for residential taxpayers.
• It is time to review the municipality bonds and provide taxpayers referendum opportunities regarding where their property taxes are spent.

• I will work toward less state controls for easier business growth opportunities.
• I support that we open new markets for American products.
• I support more local distribution of Lottery (Build Indiana) funds and provide tighter oversight (accountability) on these funds.
• I will seek to initiate a statewide review of tax abatements and the impact on local property taxes and school funding.
• I will encourage a review to consider capitalizing on (HB1789) Energize Indiana for District 7.

• I will become aware of the future effect the “Boomers” will have on healthcare (i.e., support CHOICE, review Eldercare)
• I will review closer Home Health Care options versus nursing care to reduce soaring costs for elder care.
• Review/consider “Medical Spending Account” impact as it relates to increase employee contributions and more need for affordable health coverage portability.
• Seek to incorporate a more deliberate health/wellness emphasis for school age children (nutrition/exercise focuses)
• Encourage schools to work with “KidCare” (CHIPS), to seek matching federal funds to provide more health knowledge and easier access of services for low-income families (to reduce Medicaid catastrophic costs - focus on the wellness care).
• I will work to develop community health centers with KidCare funds.
• Exclude “long-term care” from Medicaid programs (make this a voluntary supplemental option)
• Collaborate “unemployment services” with COBRA coverage notices.
• Expand (ICHIA) the high-risk pool (10,000 members provide 15% of the costs - donations from the current top 5 providers in the state).

• I will seek more accountability as it relates to truant officers working in public schools. School Resource Officers must be held accountable for crime reports to the local criminal justice systems and be responsible for thorough/fair treatment within each school while properly track and follow up on criminal cases.
• Improve child support tracking (state-wide system).
• Review prostitution laws (felony vs. misdemeanor).
• Review laws regarding guns in homes with children. Provide some repercussions to parents whose children gain access to loaded and/or unlocked guns.

• Encourage review of the current voting methods, particularly absentee voting abuse.

• I strongly support public display of the Ten Commandments.
• I strongly support keeping “In God We Trust” in all of our present pledges and currency.
• Pro-life (shouldn’t all school board members and/or child advocates be?).